In a conversation with Kotaku, Nintendo game designer Shigeru Miyamoto was open to the idea of a game that might, for example, work on the Wii U and the DS.

"Certainly we've gotten to an age where the technology has advanced and it's become more and more possible to have a similar experience running on a lower-spec system," Miyamoto said.

As an example, Miyamoto pointed to the Wii U Virtual Console, which lets those with the latest Nintendo console download games made for older systems. "So certainly I think there is possibility in that area in the future," he said.

There are developer challenges that go along with that, he said. And Kotaku stressed that Nintendo wasn't making any announcements, but merely speculating about what could be. But Miyamoto acknowledged that it's "an area of opportunity for us."

Meanwhile, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata will miss this month's Annual General Meeting of Shareholders while he remains on bed rest following a recent surgery.

In a June 24 letter to shareholders, the executive made public his health issues and recovery, announcing that a growth was found in his bile duct.

"I was counseled that removal at an early stage would be the desirable medical option," Iwata he said. "Therefore I had surgery last week, and I came through it well, as predicted."

According to a Nintendo spokeswoman, Iwata's surgery went off without a hitch on June 16, though he offers no timeline for when he will be back on his feet. But he did write that he's resumed business by email, and anticipated "that a little more time is needed for me to return to my regular work schedule."

The 74th AGM will convene June 27 in Japan, where shareholders will discuss the fiscal year (April 2013 to March 2014) and other financial statements, as well as the distribution of surplus and the election of new directors.

Aside from its CEO's recent health dilemma, the one-time gaming giant has had a rough few months. In early May, Nintendo posted its third consecutive operating loss, for which it blamed the under-performing Wii U console.

And just last week, the company lost an infringement battle against Philips Electronics, when a U.K. High Court judge ruled that Nintendo infringed on two of Philips's patents for recognizing hand gestures and motion on its Wii console.

Chloe Albanesius contributed to this story.

Editor's Note: This story was updated at 2:15 p.m. Eastern with comment from Nintendo.

Stephanie began as a PCMag reporter in May 2012. She moved to New York City from Frederick, Md., where she worked for four years as a multimedia reporter at the second-largest daily newspaper in Maryland. She interned at Baltimore magazine and graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania (in the town of Indiana, in the state of Pennsylvania) with a degree in journalism and mass communications.
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